Exploring Games
by The Fallen Prodigy
Summary: Dora the Explorer is a fake television show staring in all actuality, a kidnapped little girl and genetically altered humanoid animals all forced as slaves to teach children around the world different languages. I know it sounds like crap but I put a lot of my soul into telling this as a good story. It's not just some torture porn.


A Dora the Explorer/Saw Crossover Fanfiction

[Exploring Games]

Warnings: Rated M for graphic gore descriptions, violence, and offensive language. There will be character deaths.

Summary: Dora the Explorer is a fake television show staring in all actuality, a kidnapped little girl and genetically altered humanoid animals all forced as slaves by the producers to teach children around the world different languages. An imitator of Jigsaw captures all those involved with the show including the actors and puts them through brutal trials that, so far, only Boots and Swiper have survived... With the exception of little "Dora". The race is on to find the lost child and with every obstacle the fox bandit and monkey explorer endure the hope, if there was ever any left, is surely diminishing by now.

Note: I never liked this show growing up. Not for a second. I always wanted to watch Muzzy. The commercial always made it seem so fun and there was no little girl who was rude enough not to let you answer her FRIKIN QUESTIONS! But still I do have a lot of respect for educational shows with good morals. Dora may have been rude but she was also very sweet. If that makes any since. Anyway, I got this idea from a dream of mine and thought it might make an interesting read. I've put it off for a long time now because of lack of motivation, so you can thank Clifford the Big Red Dog and the insane fanfics for that show for this little story. I don't mean to upset any Dora the Explorer fans so RELAX! This story's worth your while. Scouts Honor. Oh and please forgive my Spanish if it is incorrect. The language is not my native tongue, and will only be used sparingly for the sake of the story.

The two had made quite an adventure on their journey. From crossing the bridge of the Grumpy Old Troll and solving his witty riddle, to swinging by the vines across the dangerous river and its' snapping gators. The trek had of course been worth it to finally make it to Blueberry Hill, the best place on the entire map in Dora Marquez's eyes. Ever by her side her travel companion Boots the Monkey cartwheeled in delight as they had finally reached the top of the hill, their goal destination

"We did it, we did it, we did it. Hooray! Lo hicimos!" The two began to sing.

Boots always liked this part of their adventures the most, no matter how stereotypical liking the celebratory moment seemed, and it was all because of her, his best friend. Dora's eyes never faltered from their light hearted glow, always shimmered with hope those chocolate orbs. But when she accomplished a task at hand, one in which she had put through every effort to win for the better of all or just simply to make her friends happy, well... Boots would feel a genuine smile curve on his face.

All their friends gathered on the hill singing and celebrating with them. Little Dora had explored herself all the ingredients that she needed for Isa the Iguana, or whoever it was in the group that liked to bake, to make a Blueberry pie and now everyone was merry in their cheers. Boots felt his voice begin to fade while his lips took part in making his singing look convincing. He felt particularly off today, though nothing was really different. The same old exploration, Dora's bright smile. He wanted to shake his head and sigh but knew better than to break the atmosphere.

The song was finally over and everyone took a seat at the blue and white clothed bench on the higher grove of the hill. Into thin air the pie was assembled as Dora and her friends gladly divided slices among one another.

"Mm-mm, this pie smells delicious. Gracias Benny!" Dora praised.

So it was Bennys' turn this time. He did have a strong admiration for food so it only made since. Everyone took their bites of pie and made sure to thank the bull for the culinary treat. Soon after a couple of moments of digging pleasantly into the pie along with the others, Boots waited for the inevitable. His smile was now so forced it was beginning to hurt his face.

Dora glanced over at him, her eyes flickered such waves of concern. However before her lips could even mouth, "What's-" her attention was diverted by the man approaching their table. His black suit enveloped his form like skin without nary a trace of color, aside from his pale boned fingers and reaper thin face. His eyes hid behind dark shades yet his thin smirking lips told all.

"Hola Uncle Marx! How kind of you to join us today." Dora greeted to the man.

"Hellllo Dora. Always so nice to see you." He replied, the charm in his voice so alluring.

No one bothered to greet the man in the suit. They were far too familiar as it already were. Because there was another side to the coin of their lives, the part of their adventures Boots had to secretly hate; Lying to his one and only best friend.

This was the part of the day Boots had to lie to Dora.

"Come on sweetheart," Marx said with reach of his near skeletal hand,"let's not keep Grandma waiting."

"I get to see Abulea today! Oh boy! I can hardly wait!" She spoke with gleaming eyes.

"Yes, yes. She has been waiting on you for some time now. Let's go before she has to take her nap." He spoke gently taking the young Latina girls' hand.

"Wait," Dora haulted in Marx's movements as she reached her hand out for Boots."Come with us Boots. We had so much fun today!"

Boots felt his voice catch in his throat and he had to swallow the lump of pain it caused when he looked into her eyes; innocence. It was a wonder that he had been able to keep this up for so many years now.

"I'm sorry Dora, but I have to go home now." He said, a plastered smile on his face.

She sighed, that simple excuse had been used time and time again and there was no arguing with it.

"I understand," She said so sweetly.

Marx pryed her away heading towards the path to her Grandmothers' house.

Boots!" Dora cried out.

She turned back meeting the monkey she had known so long as her friend. This always made it harder to bare when she left for the day because some small part of the blue-grey furred primates' mind started screaming in his head; screaming that somehow she knew the truth. But then she smiled a simple smile just for Boots.

"Everyday when I'm with you- that's my true adventure."

If his heart wasn't broken before...there was no piecing it back together now.

"Until tomorrow! Adios!" She replied as she finally departed into the path through the woods, out of sight.

Of course everyone said farewell-and now they were all waiting for the inevatable. The sets dropped one by one leaving metal railings in their wake. Stage hands moved costumes to their proper rooms and props to their proper units of storage. Bright lights faded from above no longer needing to play "Sun" and the director congratulated his crew. The imaginary world was stripped to a studio-all in a matter of mere seconds.

Boots felt the familiar constriction at his throat of a dog restraint slamming him down to the floor the others quickly joining him on the concrete surface. The director stood above Boots' face and even after so many years of repression the ape couldn't suppress a snarl of rage at the grinning mug above him.

"You know," He started, adjusting his sweat jacket as he began to pace around the monkey," I was skeptical about the CG green screen room and the "Glasses" at first. I mean-well-that's just ridiculous, am I right?" He asked gaining a snicker or two from his co-workers, "But keeping that little beaner in the dark's never been easier! We have her locked in an underground hatch in the floor-and she thinks she's at her "Abuela's" house making cookies! You gotta admit that's pretty cool. Man-the things technology can do these days."

Boots knew better than to talk back, never mind at all, and it raged him to no end the obedience he and the others had been reduced to.

"You should have gone with her, monkey. Those cookies are bound to be tasty." The slob of a director sneered.

"There isn't a chance in hell you hacks can keep this up forever!" Boots suddenly cried out in a voice that betrayed his true twenty three years, rich and impacting without the youth he was known for. "Don't you understand this is all wrong!? Don't you even pay attention to your own show and all its damn morals!? Don't you-OMmph!"

A harsh kick in the ribs was quick to bring him to silence. No one dared cry out his name, though they all felt the slings and arrows as they each remembered their own past blows and scars. They ripped as if fresh in their hearts at seeing Boots struggling to breath, the air knocked out of his lungs.

"Take em' to their barracks. I'm sick of lookin' at em'-the freaks."

And from that order, Boots, Isa, Tico, Benny and all the others were dragged away to the cages they had no choice but to call home. Down the stairs in the hall second door the right. It was the same cycle as their faces kissed the metal cages ruefully clanging as they fell to the cold steel floor. The bar cage doors slammed with a rattling force that still managed to jolt the few of them who forgot that part of the day.

"Boots, are you o-"

"I'm fine Isabella." He replied rather sharply.

She had a tendency to get over worked about these things, and always more so with him. He was fine really. Didn't cough up near as much blood as the last time, and his breathing was shaky but he was getting air in and out just fine.

"You need to be more careful, Boots! Think about the rest of us in here! No one else wants to be a half-dead punching bag." Benny, age thirty two, voiced as he harshly wrapped his hoves around the steel bars of his cage.

"Leave him alone Ben." The nineteen year old Isa voiced,"At least he hasn't given up. Unlike some people."

"Oh, I see how it is. I'm just trying to live my life and see our world through realism as the crap it is and suddenly now I'M the asshole?! Ya, ya, that's great Isa. That really _solves_ this mess. Everything's so, so, SO much better -through the eyes- of Isabella the Iguana." Benny sarcastically sneered.

"Um-guys? There's no need to fight, really..." The Big Red Chicken, aged twenty six, calmly tried to suggest.

"Shut-up B.R.C!" Benny and Isa shouted at the same time.

As the two continued to bicker Boots leaned his forehead against the metal walling of his cage, glad for once of it's cold smooth texture as he used it to calm his forming headache. There was a shuffling of the cage in front of him and Boots should have seen it coming a mile away, but there was no stopping him now. Swipper was awake.

"-you never consider how others feel! Always putting yourself first!"

"For the love of god-"

"Says the girl who only defends ONE person! Just because you have some petty crush on him!"

"-if you two don't shut up-"

"That is NONE of your business!"

"It is my business when it effects the-"

"-I'LL STRANGLE YOU IDIOTS WHILE YOU SLEEP! I HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY TO OPEN THIS DAMN CAGE YET BUT YOU'LL GIVE ME JUST THE MOTIVATION I NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT! The bandit twenty four year old roared, well fed up with the pointless whining that surrounded him.

The room was thankful silent much to Boots' relief, even if he didn't approve of the method. Whatever worked.

"Thanks Swipe," Boots replied in a sigh.

"Keep em' in line Steel Toe and you wouldn't have to be thankin' me." Swiper shot with a grimace.

"Noted," Boots replied rather simply, too sore to argue with the fox.

A sharp groan sounded in the cage to Boots' right that made the caged residents cringe.

"Tico, que te pasa?" Boots asked what was wrong with him as he moved towards the left wall to try and listen in.

"Yo soy tan hambre..." He heard the fifteen year old moan in pain as he stated his hunger.

"What's he saying Boots? You know I'm the only one here who doesn't know Spanish." Swiper asked, looking over at Tico, sky blue glazed in worry.

"He says he's hungry-"

"Yo no pude trao un pedazo un pie."

"-and that he wasn't able to get any of the pie they so graciously "let" us have." Boots finished.

"Ah, got ya," Swiper replied with a nod of his head, "forgot they weren't serving today." He finished, clutching onto his own stomach, not too happy with being reminded that his last meal was nearly three days ago.

"Tell him to hang on. We'll be getting something to stomach come tomorrow." Swiper said, looking over at Tico with a comforting smile.

Boots translated for the fox and was met with a far away moan on the other side of the wall. He himself was reminded of his hunger and cursed himself at not eating enough of that blasted pie. The cast only got to eat food that good on screen. Every other three days it was mush or scraps and of the two choices the scraps were far more welcome than the mysterious slop of grey mush. The worst was, since Swiper was the only villain on the show he rarely got to eat on the days without, if not ever.

It surprised Boots to no end the true kindness in the foxes real nature. Here he was wanting to comfort someone he couldn't even talk to and he wasn't in the slightest complaining; even when he had every right to. More than any of the others, himself included.

Eventually as the night drew on, Boots could hear every breath pass of his fellow residents as one by one they gave in to calming slumber. After so many years he grew to recognize each individual snore. He couldn't sleep unless he knew everyone was resting and safe, a habit he's not entirely sure just how long ago he picked up.

Tico made squirrely clicking noises, while Isa blew bubbles. Benny snored like a bulldozer, given the irony, and The Big Red Chicken tended to sound like a stalker with his saliva causing rippling sounds to form in his throat. All that remained was Swiper and finding his sound was rather a difficult task since he was the only one to breath and sleep properly besides Boots himself. However, tonight he could hear something other than slow, even breaths. Something he could only assume was the shuffling of a particular bushy tail on straws of hay.

"Swiper,"

Boots received nothing in response for a length of time and started to consider that maybe Swiper had always swished his tail about in his sleep. Maybe he was just looking for an excuse to not go to sleep. Waking up always seemed disappoint him after a well thought up dream. As he considered this he could see a shadow silhouette rising on the other side of the hall from his cage on the floor.

Swiper moved away from the shadows, gripping the bars as he leaned his head onto the rusted grimy metal. Boots heard him sigh as he shook his head. The ape leaned closer setting himself in front of his own bars as he leaned against the dark shadowed wall. The fox lifted his head. His cerulean eyes held no humor yet, there lay an exhausted smirk stretching across his lips. He laughed just a single hum, and looked straight into Boots' eyes.

"Feels like yesterday, I was just a normal fox, livin' in my burrow, startin' a family, doin' what I was born to do, and now-it's all gone."

Boots looked into his face. It was almost as if he were struggling to breath. As if the words were caught in his throat, strangling him, and Boots had to bite his tongue to keep from interrupting the bandit and let him go on with what he had to say.

"What are we, you and I? A necessary sacrifice or an insult to nature?"

He looked at himself, still confused with what he was. Was he a Fox? Was he a human? Was he both? Neither? Swiper didn't know what he was looking at as he stared at the palms of his hands covered with dark blue gloves.

"I'll never make it out there-not like this. And if I could go back to what I was, Boots...what would I have to go back to?"

Swiper was asking him such an impossible question, and Boots knew he didn't have the answer.

"I don't know." Boots answered as his eyes studied the wall behind the foxes head. "I had nothing before I became this. My father was long since gone. Impregnating as many females as he could I suppose, with the way natural order works in the animal kingdom. My mother died when she tried to retrieve some fallen fruit from the water below our home in the trees. A crocodile came and made an easy meal of her and that was that." He said with a shrug.

"If I'm going to be honest with you Swipe-that little girl, the one they had the absurd notion to kidnap and name "Dora"- She's like the little sister I never had."

"Dora..." Swiper repeated,"What do you think they're they gonna do to the kid when she gets too old? They already warned us Steel Toe, and like you said-they can't keep this up forever."

"Wait, how did you..."

"Ears, I've got ears everywhere monkey boy."

Boots groaned as he leaned his head against wall, his eyes now transfixed on the scratched up ceiling.

"I want to save her, Swiper. More than I want to save myself." The blue-grey monkey confessed.

The two anthropomorphics sat in their cages quiet and still for what felt like hours even though it couldn't have been more than one. Without a clock they lived in a constant world outside of time. Day was night while night was day, there was no way of knowing. It had been so long since any of them had seen or felt the warm rays of the sun. Suddenly it was as if he were hit by a train and Boots could feel his body begin to slide before it hit the ground. The second his cheek hit the metal he was out like candle light in a tornado storms wake.

"-Everybody, out through the back! This is not a drill! Move, move, MOVE!"

Boots groaned feeling worse for wear. What was with all that shouting? His head pounded harshly and his brain felt completely racked. The ape was now beginning to question the suddenness of his little nap.

"Wha- what do you want? Money? I've got a Swiss bank account and a cool five g's with your name on it. You can HAVE it! T-take as much as you want, really. As long as you leave me some. What do you say? I'm a generous man...enough...heh-heh, y-y-you can put me down n-AAAAAAHAHAHHHH!"

Boots eyes widened at the sound of metal to flesh. He could hear the stealthy slish of a blade sliding its' way through skin and crunch it's way through bone. Leaving nothing but blood to gurgle in what he could assume was the directors throat and all because that sound was terribly close to their cages.

"Hea," He whispered," is anyone else awake?"

No one spoke back leaving the only sounds to be heard to be cries of panic and agony as, what the monkey could again only assume, was a true terror show. It sounded almost like paint being splashed about up in the halls, the only sound he had to compare it too. Though, no scream, no amount of blood, no body harshly slumping to the concrete floor from above, none of it; was quite as loud as the gentle foot steps that approached their cages.

Each step that reached their closed off room in the hall had Boots all the more frozen. None of the workers in charge of their care, as they so called it, walked at all like these steps. Slow and calculating, and almost teasing in their own little way, bringing to mind the childhood game of hide and seek. As the sound of footsteps drew nearer, the sounds above grew fainter and Boots wasn't sure if it were because he was so concentrated on those steps, or if...

It sickened him how satisfying the second notion was to him.

He looked over in front of him hoping to see some sort of alert movement from at least the fox, but Swiper was out cold much like the rest of his inmates. The steps of what Boots noted to be leather dress shoes drew to a close not even a half of a foot from the door. All that remained for the next five minuets was silence. Not even so much as a pained moan voiced itself upstairs, or if it did Boots certainly didn't notice it. He was trying not to move or twitch and was barely letting himself breath, holding his breath the moment the mysterious assailant graced its way at the door and not even realizing he had done so.

He eventually drew in a breath while he continued to wait in silence, hoping the person on the other side wouldn't get curious. As his life would have it there was no such hope and the grinding, ear pounding sound of the tiniest of knob turns left the ape clutching his fists at the ready to a near white.

"Yo freak! The cops are gonna show. Get out of here!" The sudden gruff voice of a young thug called to the one in the hall.

Boots could feel a rush of relief, however from what history had taught him he kept his alert on the highest of radars. Silence once again reigned the room. He wasn't sure if the thug had left. He sounded more as if he was afraid than anything else and for a task so grueling and gritty he sounded awfully young. His accent however light was a familiar tone to the Spanish educated monkey, although with his limited knowledge he couldn't detect the region it related to.

Rather unexpectedly, the steps dashed away followed by the squeaks of cheep sneakers. Though he waited, desperately wanting to make sure the one with the dress shoes was gone. Boots didn't doubt his capability to protect himself but when there were others depending on the choices that you made, he had to be sure that they were safe.

The primate griped the bars of his cage and though futile shook the metal restraints in desperation.

"Boots what are- what are you doing...there gonna beat the shit out of you again..." Swiper mumbled sitting up in his cage.

Boots didn't stop, glad to have someone awake in this time of hell. The fox suddenly jolted as the thought hit him.

"Are we bailin'?" He asked with grin, brighter than ever before.

His smile quickly faltered when his eyes adjusted to notice the monkeys sheer masked panic.

"What the hell's goin' on Boots?"

Boots paused for a few moments but didn't relinquish his fierce grip on the rusted steel.

"We have to get out of here. Now." He replied seriously as he met the others eyes." I'm not sure what happened but from what I heard they were either rehearsing for a horror film or I just listened to the most gruesome blood bath in all of my life."

Swiper laughed but the sound was dry as he said, "Well, who's to say they're not just on set then?"

"Don't even give me that." Boots retorted firmly," You know as well as the rest of us that this place is a shit rigged shack in the middle of some southern Californian forest and that they've never done anything else."

"Wishful thinking on my part. Besides, you suggested it." The fox noted.

"Have you gotten any luck on figuring out how to get us out of here?" The ape asked ignoring the tension melting smirk.

"I've been waiting for this day for a LONG time now." Swiper said with an enthusiastic rub of his hands.

He dug through his bails of hay digging for a particular something and when he found it the humor in his eyes looked as if it had never left just hours ago. It was infectious and Boots found himself able to at least smile in the apprehensive tension. Swiper dug out a chicken bone saved over from scraps and swiftly worked on the lock while trying not to snap the bone.

"I can't believe this is actually happening." Swiper said as he gently maneuvered the gears of the lock.

"Don't get too excited, Swipe. Those people-they're out there- I'm almost sure of it." Boots warned.

Swiper nodded his head and continued fiddling with the lock. One last twist and there it was, open as if it had never held him captive. The fox threw down the lock and kicked open the door despite Boots' protests for silence. He sat still for a moment then, collecting everything in. For all the years that he had been locked in that small cell, here he was on the verge of escape and it had barley taken three minuets.

He just saved himself despite what anyone else thought was possible. Swiper had his own doubts about freedom before, though he would never admit it. With freedom just a foot away the swindler fox knew he could do this, and all doubts were finally pushed aside. He swallowed a breath and took his first real step onto the concrete.

"That bone's not gonna work on all the locks. You have any way of working on the others?" Boots asked.

"Don't have to. I figured out where they hid all the keys at night. Somewhere in that dresser over there." Swiper replied pointing towards an area in the room Boots had no way of seeing.

The fox made a quick dart towards Boots' right then promptly returned to the primates' cage with not even the hint of a jangle of keys as he held said gateways to freedom clutched close to his chest. The seven keys hung on a large metal ring big enough to hold three of Swipers' wrists, if he had that many. He opened Boots' cage and while the fox made quick work of the others the same collection of thoughts now shuffled through the monkeys' mind.

Freedom. Courage. Belief in hope once again. He felt himself grin, despite the lingering apprehension in the quiet air and he knew that this solitary moment would be enough to keep him moving.

" Come on Ben, get up." Swiper tried.

When the bull failed to get up the fox tried to stir Isa, but with no such luck. He tried Tico then B.R.C, and Senor Toucan and all three were out cold.

"They're not waking up, Boots." Swiper replied to the ape now standing next to him in Bennys' cell.

"We can't leave them behind. There's got to be a way to get them up, just-"

A loud smack placed itself on the blue bulls' cheek and suddenly his eyes shot WAY open.

"WHAT THE HECK-..." He stopped himself for a moment.

Then suddenly he smiled, and that smile would be the only one in Bennys' life that would stretch after a slap wake up.

"You guys are in my cage. You guys are in my OPEN cage! How is this...how is this happening right now?" He asked.

"We don't have time to explain it right now." Boots started," Just hurry up. We've got to get everyone out of here."

"Are they seriously still asleep?"

As if to answer the bulls' question the lot of them began to stir from their cages groggy, yet their eyes were still wide in their surprise.

"How come I'M the only one who had to be slapped?!" The bull snapped.

"Cause' that thick head of yours wouldn't start coggin' again otherwise, letherhead." Swiper quickly retorted with a smirk.

"I've told you I resent that phrase. It insults my heritage." He stated proudly.

"What are you Rosa Parks now? You're a cow. Your heritage is Mc Donald's." The fox sarcastically remarked.

"T-THAT'S NOT-I-you so are so WRONG in the head sometimes, I swear!" Benny incoherently lashed.

"Guys," Boots spoke, dissolving the humor," we don't have time for this. Please."

Swiper nodded, then rammed his elbow into Bennys side gaining a glare from the bulvine but a nod in response to Boots' request for the floor.

"Alright, I found a copy of the map for this studio in the desk. It won't help much once we get out of here, but it should help us keep from running around in circles. This place is a lot bigger than it looks and from what this map suggests, there's only one back entrance. We have to go out through the back. It'll be less noticeable." Boots explained.

"What about the alarm? Don't all emergency exits have trigger alarms?" Isa noted cautiously.

"Waaay ahead of ya, Issy." Swiper replied with a proud little grin," That toy hardware doesn't stand a chance against MY technicalfinesse. I'll pry that bad boy open, disarm the alarm, and make that system my bitch."

Isa giggled natural and the others silently agreed that he knew what to do.

"Is everyone here ready?" Boots asked before heading towards the door.

Yess' were thrown all around and the ape quickly darted his head through the door. Boots stared down the hallway and stared down hard. When he was positive there was no movement other than their own he carefully traced his way into the empty hallway, urging the others to fall behind while he made sure they were safe.

Not far from their door lay a familiar outline. His body was sprawled about as carelessly as Sunday afternoon laundry onto the floor. Dry crimson splashed the grey concrete in a pool around the directors body. Though above anything else the primate noticed, it was his eyes. His eyes were filled with such fear it was as if the greedy emeralds were still screaming in their intense shock. Boots stood there, only for a moment or two before deciding to hell with it delivering a sharp fast kick to the corpses' gut.

He reeled his foot back quickly, sighing. Not in relief with revenge satisfied, but in disappointment at the look on his face. It wasn't the same fulfillment when the look in their haunted expression wasn't intended for you.

Boots shimmed up the stairs, looked into the main acting area of the complex and went back to the others once he was sure it was clear. Clear of live people, that is. It was...

"Okay guys, follow me-Wait!" Boots paused startling a few of the others." ...There's a dead body up ahead. Isabella you... well, you may want to cover your eyes."

"Boots-!"

"I promise you; it's not a pretty sight. Don't worry," Boots assured with the friendliest smile he could muster, "I'll lead you through the hall so that way you don't have to see it."

"Boots don't say that!" Isa angrily urged," That "it" is a person."

Swiper sighed gripping onto the girls shoulders lightly gesturing her to calm down.

"I think that's what he means, Issy. Was a person... Boots wasn't tryin' to be disrespectful-were you Boots?" Swiper asked as lightly as he could.

The ape rubbed at the back of his head in aggravation. No, that was exactly what he meant. But Isa wouldn't understand. She didn't understand that glob the way Boots had been forced to. Every jeer, every threat, every kick-

"No," He replied politely, "I just didn't want you to get worked up over what you'd see in there. Smell too. His death was recent."

"Well, who is it?" B.R.C. asked nervously.

The question was the awaited one and the fact that the shy B.R.C asked it meant that it was a pressing matter to be answered.

"The director," Boots replied.

No one breathed a word and there wasn't a need to. Even Isa felt a pang of regret for her defense, but before she could voice any sort of apology Boots lifted up his hand and she kept silent. She didn't want to apologize anyway. The primate led the way allowing the others to follow behind him this time as they walked against the left wall of the hallway. The familiar stench of fresh blood invaded Boots' nostrils and the monkey was afraid it was a smell he would have to get use to until they escaped.

Behind him he could hear Tico gagging at the sight, Isa holding back sobs, and Bennys' muffled groans as he covered his face from the sickly aroma. They climbed up the stairs and the scene before them defied logic.

Slumps of once alive human beings resembled nothing more than stains on the floor, their faces contorted to the same ghastly expression of the directors' and twisted in agony as their final moments relieved nothing but pain and brutal suffering. The staff was scattered around the room. Their bodies draped around left behind props. They all died in the same manner-sliced, hacked and sawed almost completely in half. Whoever had taken part in this; made sure to make it personal.

"There's the door!" Benny noted as he pointed past the mess.

Isa ran for the other side of the room blindly, not caring for the people she stepped on as she ran away colliding harshly into the wall beside the door. Her sobs choked in her throat and echoed loudly in the empty open space. Tico quickly ran after her and the others slowly followed, more mindful of the bloody lumps clung to the ground beneath them.

Tico held her shaking body as more sobs racked her delicate frame. Swiper moved in between them and pryed the cover from the alarm system. One calculated snip with his claw and the old security system was a waste of wires on a wall. Swiper gave the okay with a pull of his thumb and Boots opened the door. The light was blinding causing the Monkey to shield his eyes from the harsh unexpected glare of the sun. The real sun. He never imagined it would be so warm. Pleasantly so, at that.

Tico led Isa out first, B.R.C and Senor Toucan followed with Benny not far behind. Swiper jumped down from the wall and covered his eyes for a split second.

"Damn-freedom sure is bright." He said with a grin.

He looked behind him to find Boots running back into the studio.

"Hea!" He called out as he ran after him,"Where are you going?"

"We can't leave Dora behind, Swipe. I'm going to find that hatch."

The door shut behind them and though it was odd the others stayed behind Boots and Swiper gave no thought to it.

"Okay," The fox started," so where would this so fabled hatch be."

"In the floor."

Swiper stopped searching and glared down at Boots who, noticing the fox had stopped helping, glanced up at him.

"What?" Boots questioned.

"That's suppose to help?" Swiper asked doubtful.

The ape shot a glare of his own.

"Just help me look, damn it."

"Wait," Swiper pointed near the mountian props,"over there. Something's sticking up in the floor. Lets check it out."

The two proceded to check the concrete and sure enough a metal handle just barely shot out of the floor. It looked like it could be inserted back in and was careless in its design. Dora could easyly escape, that is if she knew she was trapped. Together they pryed the concrete coated lid from the floor and opened the hatch.

"Well, that was simple enough." Swiper said, airing out his bandana from the sweat.

The air conditioning system must have been tampered with because the heat was starting to rise at a noticable level. And if it were hot up top, god knows how hot it was down there.

"We have to hurry." Boots replyed jumping down the hole.

There was no ladder so Swiper stayed above to help the monkey and the girl back up. Boots scanned the space and was suprised by how small it was. He felt his brow already lined in sweat and knew he had to be fast. Dora lay asleep on a twin bed that took up most of the room. Her source of air was a tiny vent in the wall above her head.

It wasn't a pretty sight and it scared the shit out of him to try and guess how they kept her in the dark without her knowing for all these years. Boots guessed that Dora was in a state of drugged sleep like the others earlyer had been.

He gently scooped his arms under the childs sleeping form and lifted her against his chest. Dora was nearly drenched in sweat from the absurd heat in the underground hatch and he was shocked to find her breathing normaly. Her face brushed the fur on his shoulder as her soft breath ghosted the skin beneath it. Boots thought to himself, at least she's asleep, as he sighed in relief.

"Is she down there?" Swiper called from above.

"She's right here," Boots replyed as he hoisted her up.

The fox took the girl and rested her as comfortably as he could on the concrete before pulling Boots up. The monkey took Dora back into his arms and looked at her up and down making sure she wasn't hurt. Her skin was darkly flushed and she looked near the point of a heat stroke. The thought of Dora dieing in such a terrible way so young and alone tore deep into his heart. He could feel Swiper lay a hand on his back as he patted his shoulder.

"We found her Boots. The worst is over now, it's okay." He said comfortingly.

Boots nodded yet still the pain on his face, pain he felt for her so strongly, would not relent. Swiper knew it wouldn't for a long time. They walked once more toward the exit and stepped out the door, past the tattered bodies that littered the ground. The light was blinding as the door shut behind them.

As their eyes adjusted to the glare of the sun, muffled murmering shouts of, "No," could be heard and before Boots or Swiper could understand that something was terribly wrong the crack of a wooden bat to their skulls quickly through them out of commission. The last words Boots could understand were,

"The time of judgement...is at hand."

Be looking out for chapter two, until then the creepy hand in the toilet wants your deed. ;P


End file.
